Attempts were made where resources were available.
use with modifiers
1.43 You do not usually use numbers in front of plural nouns. You can, however, use some indefinite determiners such as some or many. For more information about the indefinite determiners that can be used with plural nouns, see the section beginning at paragraph 1.223.
Some plural nouns usually have a definite determiner in front of them, because they are specific; some never have a determiner at all, because they are very general; and some are rarely used alone without extra information in the form of a phrase or a clause, for example, because they need supporting material.
The lists in the following two paragraphs contain some common plural nouns that are frequently used in one of these ways. Many of them have other meanings in which they are countable nouns.
with or without determiners
1.44 Some plural nouns are most commonly used with the.
Things are much worse when the rains come.
The authorities are concerned that the cocaine may be part of an international drug racket.
The coach tour of Gran Canaria was a wonderfully relaxing way to see the sights.
Here is a list of plural nouns that are most commonly used with the:
authorities
foundations
fruits
heavens
mains
odds
pictures
races
rains
sights
waters
wilds
Some plural nouns are most commonly used with a possessive determiner such as my or his.
It offended her feelings.
My travels up the Dalmation coast began in Dubrovnik.
This only added to his troubles.
Here is a list of plural nouns that are most commonly used with a possessive determiner:
activities
attentions
feelings
likes
movements
reactions
terms
travels
troubles
wants
Some plural nouns are most commonly used without a determiner.
There were one or two cases where people returned goods.
There is only one applicant, which simplifies matters.
They treated us like vermin.
Here is a list of plural nouns that are most commonly used without a determiner:
airs
appearances
events
expenses
figures
goods
matters
refreshments
riches
solids
talks
vermin
Some plural nouns can be used both with or without determiners.
The house was raided by police.
We called the police.
A luxury hotel was to be used as headquarters.
The city has been his headquarters for five years.
We didn’t want it to dampen spirits which were required to remain positive.
The last few miles really lifted our spirits.
Here is a list of plural nouns that can be used with or without a determiner:
arms
basics
brains
clergy
costs
directions
essentials
greens
grounds
handcuffs
headquarters
interests
looks
means
morals
papers
particulars
people
police
poultry
premises
proceeds
rates
resources
specifics
spirits
supplies
talks
thanks
tracks
troops
values
modifiers and other forms of extra information
1.45 Some plural nouns are rarely used alone without a modifier, or some other form of extra information, because they need supporting material.
He doesn’t tolerate bad manners.
Our country’s coastal defences need improving.
…the hidden pressures of direct government funding.
Here is a list of plural nouns that are rarely used alone without a modifier or some other extra information:
affairs
conditions
defences
demands
details
effects
forces
hopes
lines
manners
materials
matters
pressures
proportions
quarters
relations
remains
sands
services
thoughts
wastes
ways
words
works
writings
typical meanings: clothes and tools
1.46 Two special groups of nouns are usually pluraclass="underline" nouns referring to clothes and some other things that people wear, and nouns referring to tools and some other things that people use.
This is because some clothes and tools, such as trousers and scissors, are made up of two similar parts.
She wore brown trousers and a green sweater.
He took off his glasses.
…using the pliers from the toolbox.
When you want to refer to these items in general, or to an unspecified number of them, you use the plural form with no determiner.
Never poke scissors into a light bulb socket.
The man was watching the train through binoculars.
Here is a list of some plural nouns that refer to clothes and other things that people wear:
braces
briefs
cords
dungarees
glasses
jeans
jodhpurs
knickers
leggings
overalls
panties
pants
pyjamas
shorts
slacks
specs
spectacles
sunglasses
tights
trousers
trunks
underpants
Here is a list of plural nouns that refer to tools and other things that people use:
binoculars
clippers
compasses
dividers
nutcrackers
pincers
pliers
scales
scissors
secateurs
shears
tongs
tweezers
When you want to refer to a single piece of clothing or a single tool, you use some or a pair of in front of the noun. You refer to more than one item by using a number or a quantity expression with pairs of.
I got some scissors out of the kitchen drawer.
I went out to buy a pair of scissors.
He was wearing a pair of old grey trousers.
Liza has three pairs of jeans.
You can also use a pair of when you are talking about things such as gloves, shoes, and socks that typically occur in twos.
…a pair of new gloves.
A possessive determiner such as my can be used instead of a.
…his favourite pair of shoes.
When you use a pair of with a noun in the plural form, the verb is singular if it is in the same clause. If the verb is in a following relative clause, it is usually plural.